Hockey Ad Network

Sunday, October 31, 2010

The Niagara IceDogs are happy to announce that Team Sweden has chosen to hold their training camp at the Gatorade Garden City Complex, leading up to their pre-competition game vs. Team Switzerland in St. Catharines on December 23rd. Tickets for that exhibition game are currently available to season ticket holders during an exclusive pre-sale and will go on sale to the general public starting this coming Monday, November 1st at 10am.

Team Sweden will be arriving in St. Catharines on December 18th for their camp and will be based out of St. Catharines as they prepare for their pre-competition games and more specifically the World Junior Championships in Buffalo. They will remain based out of St. Catharines right up until departing for Buffalo on December 24th.

The Swedes are the defending World Junior bronze medalists, having been a perfect 4-0 in the round robin before losing in the semi-finals to the eventual champion American team. Team Sweden would then defeat Team Switzerland in the bronze medal game, with December 23rd marking the first rematch of the two teams since that matchup.

The matchup will also likely see a pair of CHL stars leading their respective teams, with Nino Niederreiter leading the Swiss and Gabriel Landeskog likely to be a key member for the Swedish.

Niederreiter was a key part of the suprise bronze medal game run by the Swiss in 2010, contributing 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points in 7 games and was just sent back to the Portland Winterhawks yesterday, after having spent nine games with the New York Islanders to start the season. By being sent back to the CHL, Switzerland is assured of Niederreiter, the 5th overall selection in the 2010 NHL Draft, being made available to them.

Landeskog on the other hand is looking to make his first World Junior team, with the 17-year-old Kitchener Rangers Captain having served as an assistant captain for the Swedish Junior Team that came over to Lake Placid to take on the Americans at the Americans Summer Evaluation Camp early August. Many expect Landeskog to step into a similar role with Team Sweden once the final team is selected in December.

More details on the Swedish training camp will be made available closer to the arrival of Team Sweden, but fans are encouraged to pick up their tickets starting Monday for what is sure to be a great game on December 23rd. Don't miss your chance to catch some world class competition right in your own backyard, get your tickets early!